Heading Home
by Sinister Darkness
Summary: Raven gets a message from Azerath. When she gets there she gets a new reality thrown full speed at her. Can she handle it?
1. Prologue

_Prologue: The Message_

Raven was sitting and waiting in meditation. Something was wrong, she could sense it. She didn't know what it was, then the alarm sounded. Raven came out of her concentration and headed to the main room of the Tower.

When she got there Robin was already talking. "…And we got this weird alien message last night and I called you all here to see if any of you could make anything out of it." he spoke swiftly.

With a push of a button the message boomed over the large speaker, "Help us, help us…being…attacked!" The static message spoke like it had been spoken through deep breaths. Raven knew that voice, the woman had that soft love in her desperate voice.

Beast boy had been noticing Raven staring into lala land and decided to interrupt. "Hello, Earth to Raven…snap snap"

By that time Raven had already broke her trance and was staring at everyone, sort of embarrassed. "We have to help them. They wouldn't have pleaded for help. They're not the _Come save us we're helpless babies_ type."

Cyborg in confusion asks, "Raven, what are you talking about!"

"What do you mean _what am I talking about?_ I'm talking about Azerath. The message… it was sent from Azerath, asking, no begging for help."

Starfire, knowing about Azerath (b/c of "Switched") was stunned.

Robin looked at Raven and said in a solemn voice, "Looks like your heading home."


	2. Heading Home

_Chapter 1: Heading Home_

After Six hours and Raven constantly telling directions to Robin who was driving, they made it to Azerath. Raven could already tell things had desperately changed. Lush green trees and beautiful gardens had been turned to ash and twigs. Crystal clear waters had mud and toxic waste all in it. The castle where the Ruler lived was rubbish. As they landed they saw a young girl (about 13) standing behind a boulder. She had a similar robe as Raven but it was black and torn. When they approached her she didn't run away in fear (b/c she saw Raven).

"Era uoy Raven? (Are you Raven?)"

Raven answered in the language that Yes she was Raven and that she was there to help and she asked for the girl's name after she introduced the Titans.

"I ma Topanga, yllis. (I am Topanga, silly.) Yhw evah uoy neeb enog os gnol retsis? (Why have you been gone so long sister?)"

All the Titans are clueless except that the girl's name is Topanga, so Raven tells a lie to the titans about her _sister.?_ "She says thank you for coming with me so that the planet can be saved. Then she asked what took so long." "Raven you should teach us your language so we can understand what everyone is saying!" BB said being frustrated that he couldn't understand a word being said. "It's not that hard Beast Boy, you just take the letters of English, turn them around backwards and then say it." Raven said as Topanga looked worriedly around then suddenly started speaking in a whisper to them, "Ti si ton evas ereh. Wollof em (It is not save here. Follow Me.)." "Come on, we're going some place safe." Everyone followed Raven who was following Topanga. On their way to the "safe place" Raven was thinking to herself, "_I have a sister? Mom never told me I had a sister before. Did she get pregenet after I left home and she never said anything? Or was this an adopted sister? Or was she adopted and then was told about mom and me? Where is my mom? Is this a trick? Is she leading us in a trap? Or maybe this is my real sister. I can't be for sure until we get to the "safe place". _As they arrived at the "safe place" they saw it was only a simple cave. "This is the safe place!" Cyborg asked as they entered the cave. "Tahw did eh yas (What did he say?)?" "Gnihton (nothing.)." "Emoclew; Ot eht efas ecalp. I wonk sti ton suoromalg tub ti si eht ylno efas ecalp…erehwyna (Welcome; To the safe place. I know it's not glamorous but it is the only safe place…anywhere.)." Raven was shocked to hear that there was no safe place in Azerath except for here in this cave. (I'm going to forget that it's a different language and use English. Because it is getting difficult for me to type it and it takes too long, so use your imagination and pretend only Raven, Topanga, and any other person in Azerath except for the Titans know and speak the language of Azerath.). "What do you mean the only safe place any where?" The Titans sit and try to let Raven talk to Topanga. "Where have you been for like ten years, Earth?" "Actually, I have." "What! No wonder you haven't gotten any messages mom sent you!" "I did get one, very full of static though, from mom just yesterday." "How? Mom…well…I didn't want to tell you so soon but mom died a week ago." Raven was suddenly filled with tears. It probably took a week for the message to get all the way to Earth. "Raven?" Robin asked because she was crying. "Raven? What's the matter?" Starfire asked after Robin got no answer from her. "RAVEN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! DON'T LET YOURSELF LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR POWERS!" screamed Topanga noticing that the cave was starting to shake ever so slightly and Topanga knew exactly what was happening. She tried to tell the Titans to run while they still could but they did not understand her so she yelled, "NUR! NUR STOIDI (RUN! RUN IDIOTS!)!" As the cave started to shake very badly Topanga just got up and ran to the mouth of the cave and motioned with her hand to come on, so the Titans obeyed. But as they were running BB ran back to grab Raven because the cave was about to collapse. She wouldn't move when he tried to grab her by the arm so he picked her up (like he picked up Terra in "Betrayal") and ran outside the cave with her in his arms. After the cave was destroyed, the ground started to crack a little and Topanga looked around on the ground quickly and spotted a rock the size of about a baseball and ran over to BB who was holding Raven. With only using a little effort (because she is strong like most people with powers are) she hit Raven in the back of the head with the stone making her pass out.

When Raven came to Topanga and the Titans (who were mad at Topanga for hitting Raven in the back of the head with a rock) were hovering over her. "How do you feel Raven?" Robin asked. "Fine, but what happened?" me for Topanga quickly answered, "Raven! You lost control of your powers, destroyed the last safe place, Beast Boy carried you out, you were about to destroy the whole planet of Azerath so I hit you in the back of the head with a rock, and now I can tell that your friends are mad at me for hitting you." "What why would they be mad? You saved me." "Why don't you ask them yourself?" "Guy's, why are you mad at Topanga?" "Dude, she slammed you in the head with a rock!" BB said. "She _saved_ all of us. If I would have kept destroying things I could have destroyed what's left of Azerath." Nobody spoke as they went on a search to find any kind of shelter because Raven demolished it. When they found a boulder that arched it was dark and everyone was tired, especially Raven who was still upset that she was too late to save her mother.

Raven does not seem the same as she was yesterday when I met her for the first time in my life. Our mother had left a letter for Raven and one for me before she died. She told me not to read Raven's but only my own. I have read mine but all it really says is to make sure Raven gets her letter and that she loves me. She also told me not to be sad because she said she will die for a good cause in her letter to me. I am going to give Raven her letter tomorrow but now I'm not sure because of what happened today. She almost killed herself and everyone around her. I don't think she can handle it.


	3. The Letter

Chapter 2: The Letter

The next morning before everyone woke up Topanga woke up Raven. "Raven, wake up. I have something to give you." "What is it?" "It's a letter mom told me to give you. But I'm not sure if you can…" But Raven cut her off in a whisper so she wouldn't wake everyone up, "Give it to me…now." "Fine, but could you at least say please?" Topanga said as she handed the half folded envelop with "_Raven_" written in her mother's hand writing on the front of it. She took the letter out of it so quick you probably wouldn't have seen her do it. It said:

_To my Dearest Raven,_

_If you are reading this I have departed from this world and gone to meet my maker. Do not be sad, because I have died for a good cause. I never told you this but Topanga **is indeed your sister.** When I sent you to that school for a year to learn how to control your powers Topanga was born. I regretfully put her up for adoption. I'm sorry I never told you about her. I don't even remember why I did it.Azerath has fell to pieces ever since you left. Our ruler was assassinated by your…by your father. I did not tell Topanga this, so please keep it our secret. I told her that her father died before she was born because I didn't want her to fear that her father would kill her. Do not try and defy him. The reason he killed our ruler was so he could be the ruler, and he did. No one has survived, including myself, against him. I have tried for years to contact you, but since you went so far away I couldn't reach you. Also, if you are reading this, your father is still in command. I want you to take Topanga and go back to Earth and never come to Azerath ever again. I don't want you or Topanga getting hurt or even killed like I have. Start a new life, and forget Azerath ever existed. I love you Raven and I want you to be happy with your sister. Also Raven, that book I used to read to you when you were little, "Aipotu", it is on the same hill and under the same rock we sat on as we read that story together if you wish to keep it and treasure it forever. You should read it to your sister. I bet she will like no love the book just like you did when you were her age. Again I love you and don't you ever forget that. I know I'm dead but I want you to make a promise to me, on my grave, that you will take care of Topanga for me._

_With all of my love,_

_Mom _

"I promise on your grave…" Raven whispered to herself as tears rolled down her face. Raven stood up (she was sitting to read her letter) and looked around. She faced east. She saw the hill they read on. They (Raven and her mom) would read "Aipotu" From the light of the sunrise until it was dusk and there was no more light. Raven turned around to see everyone but Topanga was still asleep. "Where are you going?" "Nowhere. I'll be back in a little while. When they wake up tell them I went on a little hike and that I'll be back after a while." "How? They can't understand me." "Be creative. I'll be back."

As Raven walked toward the hill (she walked even though she can fly) she wondered if that place had been destroyed just like everything else had been. She also wondered if that book survived everything that had been going on and if she would ever be able to read it to Topanga. As Topanga entered her mind she wondered how she would communicate at all with the Titans because nobody was there to translate for her. Raven continued her walk to the top of the hill and to that rock where her mother's book lay. She made up her mind that she was not going back without it.

Topanga sat in silence trying to think of a way to talk to the Titans. She couldn't teach them the language to them because she did not know English so she decided to teach herself English. _Ok Topanga, you can do this. Raven told me on the way to the safe place that English is our language backward. So I can draw words in our language and then spell them backwards. Then I can try and pronounce them and work at it until they wake up (this was like 4 in the morning so she had a while)._

She decided the first thing she should learn is "Raven went on a walk." So she drew in the dirt _Raven tnew no a klaw._ Then she looked at it carefully. Then she wrote it backwards _Raven went on a walk._ She whispered to herself "Raven wen-t on a wal-k." She repeated it for at least 30 minutes. When she felt like she knew that sentence she started another, "I don't know" and "She said she will be back in a little while." And then just words she thought were important. By the time the sun rose she knew almost the whole language of English.


	4. The Book

Chapter 3: The Book

When the Titans woke up they looked around for Raven but she was not there. They only saw Topanga sitting wide-awake waiting for the Titans to notice Raven was gone. "You think we should ask Topanga where Raven is?" BB asked Robin who looked puzzled at what they should do, "You can try, but it's doubtful she'll understand. So BB walked over to Topanga and sat down in front of her. "Do-You-Know-Where-Raven-Is?" trying to ask slowly praying she might understand. "Of course I know where she is, I'm not stupid." (From now on whatever Topanga says the Titans can understand) Beat Boy sat and stared in amazement, "I thought you couldn't speak English!" "I couldn't until this morning." "How?" Robin asked. "Raven told me that English was our language backwards so I wrote all the words I could think of, and sentences, in the dirt then spelled them backwards and taught myself English." "That's extremely impressive Topanga!" Starfire told Topanga. "So…" Cyborg asked, "Where's Raven?" "Oh she went on a walk, but she said she would be back later."

As Raven reached the bottom of the hill at about 6:00am (She could tell by where the sun was because it was just now rising). Raven started to walk up the hill remembering the way her mother held her hand when they would walk up the hill together. When Raven reached the top of the hill she spotted the rock her mother and her sat on to read "Aipotu" from dawn until dusk, reading it everyday and reading it over and over as she grew up. She practically knew the book by heart. Raven looked under the boulder to find her favorite book, "Aipotu". Her mother was right, it was under the rock. Now she finally believed everything that was going on. She climbed on the rock and began to read "Aipotu" by herself and wished she was living in Aipotu where everything was perfect and the Good Guy always beat the Bad Guy, but she wasn't. She had lost one of the only people she ever loved and was open to. Everything in her life was turning upside-down. Her mother died, her father was a psycho murderer, and now she has a sister she never knew about until just yesterday.

It was about 7:00pm when Raven finally returned to the "camp" and everyone looked worried. "Where have you been?" Robin asked her when she got into talking range. "I already told you, she went on a walk." Topanga said to Robin. "Wait, I thought you couldn't speak English?" Raven asked Topanga surprisingly. "I taught it to myself." Topanga answered impressed with herself. "Oh…Topanga, I got you something." "What is it!" "It's a book called Aipotu." "That's, uh…great." She said like she was disappointed. "What's wrong with it? Is it too dirty? Or what?" "No it's not that it's just that…isn't that mom's book?" "Yes, that's why I'm giving it to you." "Why don't you keep it? It'll remind you of mom. You can read it to me though." "Thanks, it's good to have something to remind me of her." "I know." As Raven sat on a rock Topanga looked at her in envy. "If you only knew how lucky you are." She said to herself, "You knew mom your whole life. I only knew her for a very short time, and yet you probably feel the most pain."

The next morning as everyone woke up there was a huge explosion that came from the mountains that shook the ground like a leaf in a hurricane. "What was that?" Cyborg asked. "It must have been the minion warriors of the Destroyer." Topanga answered. "Who's the Destroyer?" BB asked. "It's the guy who destroyed Azerath…That's the way I know him. Nobody knows his real name." "Oh." BB answered in confusion.

Then Raven when over to a small rock, perfect for sitting, and read the last sentence of "Aipotu". The sentence most tales end in: _And they lived Happily Ever After. _As she closed the book she thought if this…horrible life could ever end with Happily Ever After.


	5. The Pain

_Chapter 4: Pain _

That night after everyone was asleep (except Raven) Raven was reading her mother's letter over and over. Other than the book that was the only way to feel like her mother was sitting right beside her. _Do not be sad, because I have died for a good cause…Azerath has fell to pieces ever since you left. Our ruler was assassinated by your…by your father. I did not tell Topanga this, so please keep it our secret. I told her that her father died before she was born because I didn't want her to fear that her father would kill her. Do not try and defy him…I have tried for years to contact you, but since you went so far away I couldn't reach you…I want you to take Topanga and go back to Earth and never come to Azerath ever again. I don't want you or Topanga getting hurt or even killed like I have. Start a new life, and forget Azerath ever existed. _How can I forget Azerath? I have lived here almost my whole life. The only place that my mother has ever lived. How can I forget my mother, my whole childhood?

"Raven? What's wrong?" Robin asked all of the sudden like a ghost. I turned around to see if he was really there. Of course, he was. "What are you talking about, I'm fine." I answered knowing he wouldn't believe me anyway. "I'm sure you're far from fine Raven." "I know. It's like my whole world has turned upside-down. I don't know if I can go on, like I have nothing to live for." A tear started to run down my cheek when Robin wiped it from my face. "I know what you're going though. The same thing happened to me when my parents died." _He has no idea what I'm going though, I thought to myself._ "You know Raven, you do have something to live for…your sister." I thought to myself. "How did you know she was my sister?" "You and her are so similar it's hard not to notice." "I promised on my mother's grave I would take care of her." Robin stood up and before he walked off he solemnly whispered, "If there's anything I can do to help just tell me." "There's nothing you can do to ease the pain." "I understand." "Robin, wait. I have a question but don't take it the wrong way." "I'll try not to." "How long did it take you to get over your families' death?" Robin looked like the question had brought up many memories of his family and how happy they were together. "In a way I haven't really got over it, 'cause that was my family, my best friends, my life." "I'm going after him." I said with the sound of revenge in my voice. "Who?" "My father, or as Topanga puts it, the Destroyer." "Revenge isn't the answer Raven. I tried it once and almost got myself killed." I had no response to give. "Think about it. If you got killed Topanga will have nothing to live for. Me and the rest of us wouldn't be the Teen Titans without you." Then he turned around and went to sleep with the others.

I sat alone in the dim campfire light thinking only of revenge on my father for killing my mother and almost everyone in Azerath, for destroying Azerath and my life. To avenge my mother would make the pain go away. Knowing that the man that killed my mother was dead would ease my mind. Just knowing that he's still alive to strike again makes me sick to my stomach. He must die, even if it goes to the death. _What about Topanga? If I die killing him then there will be nobody there for her to call "sister". Nobody._

I walked silently over to the sleeping Topanga and tapped her on the shoulder. "What do you want?" she said in a tired voice. "I'm leaving." "What!" she yelled in a whisper. "Why?" "I'm getting revenge on fa…the Destroyer." "Are you crazy? Even mom couldn't beat him. How do you expect to?" "I have enough hate for him in my heart I could blow up what's left of Azerath 100 times." "You can't go. If you die I'll have nothing to live for." I couldn't stay any longer. If she keeps this up I won't be able to leave without a guilty conscience (not that I already had one). "Good-bye Topanga." As I turned to leave I heard her start to cry a sentence that I almost cried back; "I love you."


	6. The Gem

Chapter 5: Revenge

I couldn't let her go by herself. She's going to get herself killed. I'm going with her. I don't care if she likes it. I don't care if she wants revenge. I would too. But I DO care if she gets hurt. I've already lost my mother; I don't want to lose Raven either. Especially to that jerk, he has an appropriate name too, the Destroyer.

I shouldn't have come by myself. I'm going to get myself killed. I'm going without her. I don't care if she hates it. I don't care if she wants revenge too. But I DO care if she gets hurt. I've already lost my mother; I don't want to lose Topanga either. Especially to that jerk, he has an appropriate name too, the Destroyer.

As I reached the mountains I had second thoughts about just leaving Topanga like that. It's for her own good. I couldn't have taken her with me. She could get killed, or worse tortured, then slowly and painfully murdered, and it would be my fault. I could NOT let that happen. I am on a mission…revenge.

"Raven, wait!"

"Topanga! What are you doing? I told you to stay at the camp."

"No you didn't. All you said was 'You can't go', you never said to stay at the camp, and besides you can't face this alone."

"I can and I will." Then I thought to myself _you know you'll get yourself killed._

"You know you'll get yourself killed."

"How did you-I was just thinking-"

"Raven, I've never told you this but I'm a mind reader."

I looked at Topanga with amazement.

"That's why I got mom's telekinesis and not dad's physic abilities, because you got them!"

"I wish I knew dad." Topanga said with great sadness in her heart for a father.

"No you don't. Our father was a very bad person." I told her, but not revealing that are father is _still_ a bad person.

All of the sudden, out of nowhere a giant boulder came flying at us, luckly I "caught" it before it smashed us both under it tremendous weight.

"What was that!" Topanga yelled after I sat it down.

"Trigon has probablly seen us coming"

"Do you mean the Destroyer?"

"Uh...yeah. We need to get going before he sends something else our way."

Topanga and I ran into a clearing, blinking at what we saw. There was supposed to be the pond where my mother and I played together when I was young with a wonderful view of the Ruler's castle, but instead there was a dried up mud pit with the terrifying view of the Destoryer's half torn down castle.

"It's worse than I can even imagine." Revenge raged greatly in my mind, but I tried to keep it on the back burner now knowing Topanga can read minds.

"I told you it was bad."

"But I never thought it could be _this_ bad.

"I know."

"Stay here." I said with all seriousness in my voice, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"But what if-"

"I'll be fine. If you came and got hurt I could never forgive myself." I started to tear up and those tears started to run a marathon down my face, "Please... stay here."

"Raven, I-"

I didn't stay to listen to the rest, as I whipped around and made my way to the castle. As I walked as quietly as I could through the castle, looking for my father's chamber. At the same time I was trying to think of a plan to defeat my father, a weakness, anything. Just as long as I got revenge and my mother was avenged I didn't care.

From now until I say so, they speak the native Azerath language, unless they talk to the Titans

When I came across "The 'Great' Hall" I could feel my father's evil presence in the room.

"Bring the meat servant!"

"Yes master." a weak voice answered.

Trigon started ripping his meal apart, literally. All of the sudden I heard sceams like flesh being ripped off a still living body. _Gross, my father eats people? I knew he was cruel, but that's just-_my thoughts were interupted by a loud boom.

"WHERE IS SHE! SHE IS HERE! FIND HER!"

"Who master?" the weak voice questoined.

"MY DAUGHTER RAVEN, YOU FOOL!"

I came from behind the wall and into the doorway. "You don't have to look for me coward!"

"Foolish girl! You actually think you can beat me? You are just like your mother; brave, weak, and powerless! And you will die the same way as well!"

"You killed mother, you MONSTER!"

"How do you expect to beat me if you don't even believe in yourself!"

_Take that table and smah him with it, now! _Right before I did this Trigon reached down and took the table and swung at me with it and he didn't miss. I flung across the room hitting the wall, and almost knocked down the wall, and almost knocking me out completly.

"Even that stupid gem your mother gave you can't save you now! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!"

_Stupid gem? Mother gave me? On my-_Everything went black.

I couldn't let Raven go alone, even if she didn't want me to get hurt. I don't want her to get hurt either. After she was out of sight, I wandered the hallways until I heard a loud noise about 30ft. from me, like something smashing against the wall. As I approached what appeared to look like a dinning room I heard the most terrible sound.

"...can't save you now! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!"

I peeked around the corner to see Raven lifeless on the floor.

"Take her body to the courtyard and creamate her. Then spit in the ashes for my sake. After that then go clean or whatever you do."

"Yes, master." the weak voice replied picking up her body and started carrying her body to the back.

I ran almost silently away as fast as I could heading back to the entrance so I could run to the back into the courtyard. When I got to the courtyard I saw the servant wrapping Raven in a white cloth starting with her feet. I looked at Raven and saw something that the servant and Trigon had overlooked. I saw Raven's chest moving, but her breaths were so small, I had to look twice to tell._ She's alive!_ _But how do I get her free? That servant has got to go._ It wasn't difficult for he was tired and weak from carrying an almost lifeless body all the way to the courtyard, and of course I didn't kill him for that's just cruel. I just wrapped him in the thick layers of white cloth he had in his hand. When I unwrapped Raven I laid her on the ground and gently slapped her face. When she didn't wake up I decided to take some risks. I went into a trance trying to get into an unconscience mind.

This takes place in Raven's mind like in "Nevermore"

I looked around and couldn't believe I was in Raven's mind. It was a horrible place. I can't even imagine what has happened to Raven's mind; what she's been through. Then I saw her laying on a rock like she was sleeping.

"Raven?"

"You have to...the gem...Trigon..." Raven weakly whispered.

"What gem? Raven? What's going on? Tell me."

Raven turned her head, "Trigon, he's...he's our father and-"

"What! It can't be! Our father he-"

"_Killed _our mother. The gem, the ones on our heads, was given to us by our mother to protect us from him. They are his only weakness."

"But how we use them?"

"I'm not sure."

Then Raven collapsed in my arms. I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to take our father down.

When I woke up the servant was wrapped up in some sort white fabric and Topanga was gone.


End file.
